English Literature A Level

Subject Information

English Literature A Level

Curriculum information

Year 12 overview

Students have the option of studying English Language and Literature or English Literature.

English Literature features ground-breaking texts in a variety of literary forms from novels to poetry. The course teaches students to engage in creative literary analysis. One example is Atwood’s dystopian novel, ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’. Its controversial and shocking portrayal of Gilead provides students with the opportunities to debate race, sexuality, patriarchy, religion and gender relations. It is a monumental book which challenges the heart of society through a bleak and blunt autobiographical stance on the fictional practices of a dictatorial regime

English language and literature does the above but also considers non fiction texts and linguistic techniques such as  how to analyse phonetics, phonology and prosodics, lexis and semantics, pragmatics and other literary features.

Year 13 overview

Literature students in year 13 will be introduced to the fascinating and haunting world of Romantic poets. From studying, Shelley’s turbulent thoughts about mortality, Blake’s consideration of the relationship between good and evil to Bronte’s criticism of human nature; students will garner the opportunity to learn about this very mystical and revolutionary time where the rights of humankind were being examined.

Language and Literature students in year 13 will consider the significance of Dickens’ Great Expectations’ in relation to the literary, social, historical and cultural context: both the production and reception.  Furthermore, through the study of specific extracts, students will explore and analyse the writer’s craft to develop an understanding of the characterisation, themes and motifs in greater depth.

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What our students say

"I chose English Literature because the texts we study are amazing and so interesting when studied in detail. The English teachers are so experienced and this was very reassuring in exam season." 

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